One type of an electrical distribution device is the power strip or power control center, which generally comprises of a row of power outlets, switched or unswitched, to distribute power to a primary device and secondary device(s) from a standard outlet (e.g., wall outlet). Some power strips and control centers contain options like circuit breakers, fuses and/or surge protectors, for example.
In newer personal computers the system can turn itself off and is controlled by the operating system. During the system shutdown, there is a delay in which the operator must wait for the system to finish before turning off the secondary device(s). Depending on the operating software and programs, this can be a long time. Using this invention, the user may leave after the shutdown is started. When the system finishes and switches off or to the standby mode, the secondary device(s) will be turned off.
When used with computer devices, each device is plugged into a separate outlet with the computer plugged into the main outlet. When the computer is turned on, the current level increases to a high enough level to turn on the secondary device(s). Other constant power outlets may also be included for wake up devices, such as modems capable of bringing the system out of standby mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,731,549; U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,140 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,623 are methods for controlling secondary device(s). All require internal power supplies and many components, making them too expensive for mass production and difficult to fit in a standard power strip.
Some improved solutions are disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 6,501,195, U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,762 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,759,763, and application Ser. No. 09/953,743